Spiced Pumpkin Soup

This is actually my first attempt at making pumpkin soup. Each year on scooping out the flesh for making Jack O Lanterns I vow to either make pumpkin soup or pumpkin pie but generally my good intentions are in vain as I get preoccupied with  baking goodies for Halloween night. This soup is actually fairly easy to put together and once the flesh is ready for the pot there is little else to do.  I have added some spice to the ingredients but a couple of teaspoons of curry powder would also work well. I was pleasantly surprised that my boys also tried the soup and enjoyed it.

Take the top off the pumpkin and place a warmed bowl into the hollowed pumpkin as an interesting way to present this soup to guests. As pumpkins are now so readily available and cheap this is the perfect dish for a crew before they go Trick or Treating!!

Happy Halloween!!!

Ingredients:

25g butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander

Ground pepper

1 tin of tomatoes

900g pumpkin

1.5 litres chicken stock
200ml Fresh cream

Method:

1. Heat the oil and butter in a large saucepan and add the pumpkin, onion and garlic. Cover and sweat over a low heat until softened.

2. Add the spices, pepper and tomatoes to the pan .

3. Stir in the chicken stock, bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

3. Purée with a hand-held blender. Adjust the seasoning. Add the cream, warm briefly then serve, sprinkled with chopped parsley.